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Missteps & Misfortunes: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
A well-loved plot variation for the well-loved novel. Moments before Mr. Darcy asks for her hand, Elizabeth reads a letter that alters her decision to his proposal but not her heart toward the man. Obstacles from within and without hedge up their way as the two learn how to move forward on this untried path. Will the unforeseen misfortunes and constant missteps be enough to end their journey before it has truly began? How do broken hearts and injured souls heal on a rough and beaten road?
154 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 19, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 3, 2016
This book is very similar to another book I read recently which is unpublished but has the same premise. However this story plays out to the end and does not leave us with vague words and no real solid conclusion.
Elizabeth while at Hunsford gets a letter from Jane in which is enclosed another letter from Aunt Lucy disclosing that Mr. Bennet is seriously ill and "may" recover but it is not certain for how long that recovery may last. Elizabeth intuits that if her father is not already dead he soon will be.
Thus when Darcy suddenly arrives and proposes, Elizabeth now decides to make a change in her resolve...to marry only for the deepest love will now be a past dream, a foolish wish; her family has no recourse, no money, and Mr. Bingley has never returned to Netherfield so Jane has not the opportunity to save the family. Darcy does notice that Elizabeth's words of acceptance do NOT seem to match the feelings her face portrays. But he is happy to have secured the hand of the woman he loves. She finally relates to him what has happened upon which he insists that he and the Colonel must accompany her to her home and then they will be off to London. Very shortly after she arrives at Longbourn her father passes on.
Meanwhile in conversations with his cousin Darcy learns that E. knew about his separating Jane and Bingley and thus, Darcy begins to realize that Elizabeth did, indeed, accept him out of the need to secure her family's future. He has won her hand and knows she will be the sister Georgiana needs but will he ever win her heart?
Lady Catherine makes an appearance and right behind her (literally) is Mr. Collins to take possession just as services are to be held for Mr. Bennet. Darcy also returns for the funeral bringing with him Bingley.
But in this tale the marriage date is set to be very soon after the proposal so as to allow Mr. Darcy to step in and provide financial and other needed supports to the Bennet family. Thus the couple is much in each other's company and learns many things about each other. Elizabeth puts on a facade but as they are thrown together cracks appear and little by little the words, the accusations which were held back at Hunsford come out in response to situations where she witnesses proof of her opinions. Although Darcy has made amends in that he begins to realize some of the unspoken faults in his character, in his behavior, he does not know the depths of disdain in which Elizabeth has looked upon his actions. Elizabeth begins to see a hidden side, unknown attributes of Darcy's which please her and warm her heart in his favor.
It is upon their wedding night after a mostly silent carriage ride into London that Darcy finally settles matters in his heart and with his bride.
I found this to be a tense presentation as Darcy seems at first to not know where matters really stand and Elizabeth is trying to conceal her true feelings as she needs to secure Darcy for her family’s sake. But we read not of a big confrontation as in canon with the bitterest of rejections and his “letter” to set things straight. Instead this was an evolving of their feelings during a short engagement period as we read each person’s observations and discoveries (for the good or as a matter of revelation) and their gradual coming together as they learn the best of each other.
Well done. (One error which seems to appear in many books lately is the matter of rein: exercise of power, control somebody vs. reign: period of rule.)
Elizabeth while at Hunsford gets a letter from Jane in which is enclosed another letter from Aunt Lucy disclosing that Mr. Bennet is seriously ill and "may" recover but it is not certain for how long that recovery may last. Elizabeth intuits that if her father is not already dead he soon will be.
Thus when Darcy suddenly arrives and proposes, Elizabeth now decides to make a change in her resolve...to marry only for the deepest love will now be a past dream, a foolish wish; her family has no recourse, no money, and Mr. Bingley has never returned to Netherfield so Jane has not the opportunity to save the family. Darcy does notice that Elizabeth's words of acceptance do NOT seem to match the feelings her face portrays. But he is happy to have secured the hand of the woman he loves. She finally relates to him what has happened upon which he insists that he and the Colonel must accompany her to her home and then they will be off to London. Very shortly after she arrives at Longbourn her father passes on.
Meanwhile in conversations with his cousin Darcy learns that E. knew about his separating Jane and Bingley and thus, Darcy begins to realize that Elizabeth did, indeed, accept him out of the need to secure her family's future. He has won her hand and knows she will be the sister Georgiana needs but will he ever win her heart?
Lady Catherine makes an appearance and right behind her (literally) is Mr. Collins to take possession just as services are to be held for Mr. Bennet. Darcy also returns for the funeral bringing with him Bingley.
But in this tale the marriage date is set to be very soon after the proposal so as to allow Mr. Darcy to step in and provide financial and other needed supports to the Bennet family. Thus the couple is much in each other's company and learns many things about each other. Elizabeth puts on a facade but as they are thrown together cracks appear and little by little the words, the accusations which were held back at Hunsford come out in response to situations where she witnesses proof of her opinions. Although Darcy has made amends in that he begins to realize some of the unspoken faults in his character, in his behavior, he does not know the depths of disdain in which Elizabeth has looked upon his actions. Elizabeth begins to see a hidden side, unknown attributes of Darcy's which please her and warm her heart in his favor.
It is upon their wedding night after a mostly silent carriage ride into London that Darcy finally settles matters in his heart and with his bride.
I found this to be a tense presentation as Darcy seems at first to not know where matters really stand and Elizabeth is trying to conceal her true feelings as she needs to secure Darcy for her family’s sake. But we read not of a big confrontation as in canon with the bitterest of rejections and his “letter” to set things straight. Instead this was an evolving of their feelings during a short engagement period as we read each person’s observations and discoveries (for the good or as a matter of revelation) and their gradual coming together as they learn the best of each other.
Well done. (One error which seems to appear in many books lately is the matter of rein: exercise of power, control somebody vs. reign: period of rule.)
January 13, 2019
There's an angsty aspect in this story that could be epic if the plot was more developed. Anyway, it gave me a cold feeling, as the plot was rushed somehow. I enjoyed it, but I feel I could have loved it.
November 14, 2018
A marriage of convenience plot where Elizabeth received the news of her father had taken ill, moments before the Hunsford proposal and opted to accept.
A well worn plot but as the book was highly engaging, I didn't mind.
Would have liked to see them together again a bit sooner than halfway through the book but the story inbetween the page time with ODC was by no means lacking which makes me reluctant to complain too loudly...
The story did however take a turn in the last half, that I did not appreciate due to my dislike of either of ODC romantically involved with anybody else.
In addition, Elizabeth's reflections was so ludicrous that it landed firmly in my ridiculous-pile. Elizabeth came across as sour-mooded, petulant and less astute than canon. Their engagement period was filled with misunderstandings and discontent which made the reconciliation at the wedding night a tad unbelievable.
The epilogue was delightful loveliness though.
A chaste read.
A well worn plot but as the book was highly engaging, I didn't mind.
Would have liked to see them together again a bit sooner than halfway through the book but the story inbetween the page time with ODC was by no means lacking which makes me reluctant to complain too loudly...
The story did however take a turn in the last half, that I did not appreciate due to my dislike of either of ODC romantically involved with anybody else.
In addition, Elizabeth's reflections was so ludicrous that it landed firmly in my ridiculous-pile. Elizabeth came across as sour-mooded, petulant and less astute than canon. Their engagement period was filled with misunderstandings and discontent which made the reconciliation at the wedding night a tad unbelievable.
The epilogue was delightful loveliness though.
A chaste read.
August 7, 2020
This is a very grim story and not one I can recommend.
Darcy is constantly making mistakes on an interpersonal level and seems to rarely make accurate conclusions when trying to figure out what the latest conversation means or what the latest scene means. Can someone who is the master of Pemberly, has to negotiate business deals, interact with tenants be so socially feckless? And why did he fall in love with Lizzy? This isn't the bright vivacious intelligent Lizzy from P&P.
And Lizzy is no better. I know she is 20 and naive but where is her intelligence? How can she make the wrong interpretation of facts and events all the time? Everyone thinks Lizzy is the intelligent sister. She can read and remember what she read from a book but where is the analytical skills that she learned from being tutored from her father?
These aren't the Darcy and Lizzy from P&P.
And the HEA is not very H. We have to wait until the epilogue to get a whiff of them treating each other well at all. As late as the last chapter Darcy still thinks Lizzy loves Wickham and not himself. Supposedly Darcy has known Wickham’s character as long ago as Cambridge or longer. Is he incapable of learning that Wickham ALWAYS lies?
If we must slog through a book watching two idiots accidentally fall in love can we not see them be really in love and treat each other like the like and respect their spouse?
Perhaps the author wanted to be original and come up with a plot that wasn't just a derivation of some other variation. I can respect that but let us know before we buy it that it isn't a romance but a melodrama with character backgrounds from P&P
Thumbs down from me.
Darcy is constantly making mistakes on an interpersonal level and seems to rarely make accurate conclusions when trying to figure out what the latest conversation means or what the latest scene means. Can someone who is the master of Pemberly, has to negotiate business deals, interact with tenants be so socially feckless? And why did he fall in love with Lizzy? This isn't the bright vivacious intelligent Lizzy from P&P.
And Lizzy is no better. I know she is 20 and naive but where is her intelligence? How can she make the wrong interpretation of facts and events all the time? Everyone thinks Lizzy is the intelligent sister. She can read and remember what she read from a book but where is the analytical skills that she learned from being tutored from her father?
These aren't the Darcy and Lizzy from P&P.
And the HEA is not very H. We have to wait until the epilogue to get a whiff of them treating each other well at all. As late as the last chapter Darcy still thinks Lizzy loves Wickham and not himself. Supposedly Darcy has known Wickham’s character as long ago as Cambridge or longer. Is he incapable of learning that Wickham ALWAYS lies?
If we must slog through a book watching two idiots accidentally fall in love can we not see them be really in love and treat each other like the like and respect their spouse?
Perhaps the author wanted to be original and come up with a plot that wasn't just a derivation of some other variation. I can respect that but let us know before we buy it that it isn't a romance but a melodrama with character backgrounds from P&P
Thumbs down from me.
March 25, 2016
This story was enjoyable in that I finished it and didn't hate it.
While the flow of the prose was generally readable, it was badly written at quite a few points within the novel, sections were phrased awkwardly, or words were missing.
I was also a bit disappointed in the plot. 80% into it I couldn't figure out how Darcy and Elizabeth would come to an understanding when they were still so far apart emotionally - I don't think the author did solve this problem in the end as the resolution was rather shallow, leaving me frustrated and not particularly satisfied with the ending.
While the flow of the prose was generally readable, it was badly written at quite a few points within the novel, sections were phrased awkwardly, or words were missing.
I was also a bit disappointed in the plot. 80% into it I couldn't figure out how Darcy and Elizabeth would come to an understanding when they were still so far apart emotionally - I don't think the author did solve this problem in the end as the resolution was rather shallow, leaving me frustrated and not particularly satisfied with the ending.
July 30, 2013
On the day Lizzie learned of Darcy's interference between Jane and Bingley she also learns of her father's sudden illness. When Darcy appears at the parsonage and proposes she accepts, knowing that it is her only chance to save her family.
This is a short, 160 pages, book and the pacing is sometimes rushed. There are some chapters that seem illogical, as the time jumps to previous days without warning.
Over all a satisfying read.
This is a short, 160 pages, book and the pacing is sometimes rushed. There are some chapters that seem illogical, as the time jumps to previous days without warning.
Over all a satisfying read.
January 20, 2025
Was this a first book? Because I hope some of the techniques were improved later on. Excellent Austen-like prose.
September 24, 2021
Good story
Loved it so glad Lydia was kept under good regulation. Liked Darcy very much. Good epilogue it could have been a little longer.
Loved it so glad Lydia was kept under good regulation. Liked Darcy very much. Good epilogue it could have been a little longer.
December 2, 2020
Everything looks bad for these two
Darcy cannot be more negative, gloom and he overthinks everything.
Elizabeth is an obstinate, headstrong girl but that could change.
Darcy cannot be more negative, gloom and he overthinks everything.
Elizabeth is an obstinate, headstrong girl but that could change.
November 13, 2018
Just as Darcy is approaching the Hunsford parsonage to offer marriage to Elizabeth Bennet, she is opening a letter from Jane informing her of the very bad health of their father. In the changed circumstances Elizabeth accepts the proposal. Many matters are unsettled between them but will they eventually have a happy ending.
An enjoyable variation
An enjoyable variation
December 28, 2018
Very cleverly wrtten
This book is very well written the plot is believable and clever. Using the original words but varied ways spoken not not by the same characters of the original work. This one is a must read for die hard fans of AustenFF.
Highly recommend this one I would give it more stars if I could.
This book is very well written the plot is believable and clever. Using the original words but varied ways spoken not not by the same characters of the original work. This one is a must read for die hard fans of AustenFF.
Highly recommend this one I would give it more stars if I could.
November 1, 2015
So ridiculous and silly. But, for a fanfiction, really good! I thought the author did an excellent job at capturing the spirit of the original characters.
January 20, 2024
Another one of those stories in which Elizabeth receives a letter indicating that her father is very ill, right before Darcy's proposal, prompting a different response from her.
Has she ever received a letter saying her father might be dying, when Darcy is NOT about to propose just minutes after?
Has she ever received a letter saying her father might be dying, when Darcy is NOT about to propose just minutes after?
December 21, 2018
Beautiful!
What a wonderful story! Misapprehension abounds between our favorite people, but love wins. Very well written! The characters are true to cannon. Definitely emotional, but so good!
Darcy is fantastic in this remaining.
This will go on the re-read list.
What a wonderful story! Misapprehension abounds between our favorite people, but love wins. Very well written! The characters are true to cannon. Definitely emotional, but so good!
Darcy is fantastic in this remaining.
This will go on the re-read list.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews